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Recognition and Enforcement of a Foreign Arbitral

Award in the Philippines


THES C. GONZALES

Introduction
International arbitration as a system of resolving commercial
disputes of an international character was recognized in the Philippines as
early as 1967 when the Philippine Senate acceded to the Convention on
the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, commonly
known as the 1958 New York Convention, under Senate Resolution No.
71. The New York Convention fundamentally provides for the reciprocal
recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in signatory states.
In practical terms this means that an arbitral award rendered in
Contracting State A may be recognized as a final and executory decision
in either of the state of the parties to arbitration, as if the foreign arbitral
award were actually rendered by the domestic court of that country.
The New York Convention recognizes that each of the Contracting
State may provide for the mechanism for the actual enforcement of the
arbitral award. In 2004, the Philippines enacted Republic Act 9285, the
Alternative Dispute Resolution Act of 2004,
1
which, among others,
tasked the Secretary of Justice to convene a committee to formulate the
appropriate rules and regulations for its implementation,
2
and the Supreme
Court to promulgate rules of procedure for the recognition and
enforcement of the foreign arbitral award.
3
It took another five (5) years,
in 2009, for the committee to formulate the Implementing Rules and

The author is currently the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Maritime Law
Association (MARLAW) and a member of the working group of the Committee on
Transportation formulating the proposed Maritime Code of the Philippines. She finished
her LLB from the San Beda College of Law and her LLM in International Commercial
Law from the University of Nottingham, England.
1
RA. 9285 was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on 4 February
2004 and approved by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on 2 April 2004.
2
See Section 52 of R.A. 9285.
3
See Section 42 of R.A. 9285.
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Regulations of the ADR Act (the Rules)
4
and for the Supreme Court to
promulgate A.M. No. 07-11-08-SC, the Special Rules of Court on
Alternative Dispute Resolution (Special ADR Rules)
5
. Insofar as it
applies to a foreign arbitral award, the Rules is basically a consolidation of
the salient provisions of R.A. 9285, the New York Convention, and the
Special ADR Rules.
It is significant and certainly laudable that Republic Act 9285 and
the Rules extend recognition and enforcement to foreign arbitral awards
that are not covered by the New York Convention (non-convention
award) on grounds of comity and reciprocity. Article 4.36 (B) (a) of the
Rules went so far as to state that if no comity and reciprocity exists, the
non-convention award is to be regarded as a presumptive evidence of a
right as between the parties in accordance with Section 48 of the Rules of
Court. In other words, the non-convention award may be recognized and
enforced as a foreign judgment of a foreign court.
From 1967 until 2009, the Rules of Civil Procedure largely
governed the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, and
thus, ironically, they became subject to the uncertainties, pitfalls, and
complexities attributed to litigation. This article examines the extent to
which the procedural rules make the recognition and enforcement of a
foreign arbitral award either attractive or cumbersome for the party
commencing proceedings in the Philippines.
Foreign arbitral award differentiated from a judgment and an
international commercial arbitral award
Since specific procedural rules apply differently to the recognition
and enforcement of a foreign arbitral award, an international commercial
award and a foreign judgment, it is essential to distinguish one from the
other.
A foreign arbitral award is rendered by an arbitrator or panel of
arbitrators in a foreign country. The grounds for its recognition and
enforcement in the Philippines are those exclusively found in Article V of
the New York Convention and the procedural details are set out in Rule 13
of the Special ADR Rules.

4
Department Circular No. 98.
5
Promulgated by the Supreme Court on 1 September 2009.
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On the other hand, an international commercial arbitral award is
rendered by an arbitrator or panel of arbitrators in the Philippines, the
mechanics of which is largely governed by the Model Law on
International Commercial Arbitration (the Model Law)
6
. The award is
rendered pursuant to an international commercial arbitration conducted in
the Philippines. The recognition and enforcement or setting aside of an
international commercial arbitration award is largely governed by Rule 12
of the Special ADR Rules.
In both cases, the Regional Trial Court is required not to disturb
the arbitrators or arbitral tribunals determination of facts and/or
interpretation of law.
7
Unlike a foreign arbitral award
8
and an international commercial
arbitral award, the conditions for the recognition and enforcement of a
foreign judgment are not based on a convention. Rather, the Rules of
Court govern its enforcement. In particular, Section 48, Rule 39 of the
1997 Rules of Civil Procedure clearly provides that a foreign judgment
merely constitutes prima facie evidence of the justness of the claim of a
party and, as such, is subject to proof to the contrary.
9
It is merely a
presumptive evidence of a right as between the parties and may be
repelled by evidence of a want of jurisdiction of the issuing authority,
want of notice to the party against whom it is enforced, collusion, fraud, or
clear mistake of law or fact. Of particular interest is that the Regional Trial
Court has authority to determine whether the foreign court committed
mistakes of fact and law.

6
Section 19 of R.A 9285.
7
See Rule12.13 and Rule 13.11 of the Special ADR Rules.
8
A convention award or a non-convention award rendered by a country that extends
comity and reciprocity to an award rendered in the Philippines.
9
See Wolfgang O. Roehr v. Maria Carmen D. Rodriguez, G.R. No. 142820, June 20,
2003; St. Aviation Services Co. PTE Ltd., v. Grand International Airways, Inc., G.R. No.
140288, October 23, 2006.
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A feature common to all three is that the party attacking the foreign
arbitral award or international commercial award,
10
or foreign judgment
has the burden of overcoming the presumption of its validity.
11
Procedure for recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards
A. Venue
A petition for the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral
award is a special proceeding.
12
Under Rule 13.3 of the Special ADR
Rules, the petition shall, at the petitioners option, be filed with the
Regional Trial Court (a) where the assets to be attached or levied upon is
located, (b) where the act to be enjoined is being performed, (c) in the
principal place of business in the Philippines of any of the parties, (d) if
any of the parties is an individual, where any of the individual resides, or
(e) in the National Capital Judicial Region. The denomination of the
petition as a special proceeding as opposed to an ordinary civil action is
consistent with the lawmakers intent to make the recognition and
enforcement of foreign arbitral awards non-litigious and summary in
nature. This rule on venue applies with equal force to a non-convention
award, which on the grounds of comity and reciprocity, may be
recognized and enforced as a convention award, or one rendered under the
regime of the New York Convention.
It appears that the special rule on venue under Rule 13.3 is
restricted to petitions for recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral
awards. Should Rule 13.3 be similarly applied to a separate and
independent application to vacate or set aside the foreign arbitral award?
Rule 13.3 of the Special ADR Rules contemplates a situation
wherein a party to an international arbitration does not commence a
separate proceeding to vacate or set aside the foreign arbitral award but
that the opposition thereto is made in the special proceeding commenced
by the petitioner.

10
See Rule 12.12 and Rule 13.11 of the Special ADR Rules.
11
See Northwest Orient Airlines, Inc. v. Court of Appeals, 241 SCRA 192, 199 [1995];
Oil and Natural Gas Commission v. Court of Appeals and Pacific Cement Company, Inc.,
G.R. No. 114323, July 23, 1998; Asiavest Merchant bankers (M) Berhad v. Court of
Appeals, G.R. No. 110263, July 20, 2001.
12
See Rule 1.2 of the Special ADR Rules.
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Rule 13.3 should not be confused with Rules 12.1 and 12.2. While
Rule 13.3 refers to an arbitral award rendered in a foreign country, Rules
12.1 and 12.2 refer to a commercial award rendered in an international
commercial arbitration proceeding in the Philippines.
And, even if venue is regarded as improperly laid, a motion to
dismiss cannot be filed by the opposing party as it is considered a
prohibited pleading under Rule 1.6 of the Special ADR Rules.
B. Contents of and documents accompanying the petition
There are technicalities involved in the filing of the petition for
recognition and enforcement of a foreign arbitral award.
For instance, Rule 1.4 of the Special ADR Rules requires that the
petition be duly verified by a statement that the affiant has read the same
and that the factual allegations therein are true and correct of his own
personal knowledge or based on authentic records. Rule 1.5 requires that
the petition should be accompanied by a Certification Against Forum
Shopping. Also, to avoid any dispute, the requisite board resolution or
Secretarys Certificate should be appended to the petition as evidence of
the authority of the affiant to verify the petition and execute the Certificate
Against Forum Shopping for and on behalf of the party seeking to
recognize and enforce the arbitral award in the Philippines.
An issue may arise on whether the Certification Against Forum
Shopping is required to be authenticated by a secretary of the embassy or
legation, consul general, consul, vice consul, or consular agent or by any
other officer in the foreign service of the Philippines stationed in the
foreign country in which the record is kept. This issue may however be
promptly be nipped in the bud by citing Rule 22.1 of the Special ADR
Rules which promotes the liberal application of the Rules of Evidence to
achieve the objectives of the Special ADR Rules. The ruling in Heirs of
the Deceased Spouses Vicente S. Arcilla and Josefa Asuncio Arcilla v. Ma.
Lourdes Teodoro
13
is also on point. The Supreme Court ruled therein that
the certification of non-forum shopping executed in a foreign country is not
covered by Section 24, Rule 132 of the Rules of Court,
14
which does not include

13
G.R. No. 162886, August 11, 2008.
14
Sec. 24. Proof of official record. - The record of public documents referred to in
paragraph (a) of Section 19, when admissible for any purpose, may be evidenced by an
official publication thereof or by a copy attested by the officer having legal custody of the
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documents acknowledged before a notary public abroad. The Supreme Court went
on to point out that It cannot be overemphasized that the required certification of
an officer in the foreign service under Section 24 refers only to the documents
enumerated in Section 19(a), to wit: written official acts or records of the official
acts of the sovereign authority, official bodies and tribunals, and public officers of
the Philippines or of a foreign country. The Court agrees with the CA that had the
Court intended to include notarial documents as one of the public documents
contemplated by the provisions of Section 24, it should not have specified only the
documents referred to under paragraph (a) of Section 19.
Rule 13.5 of the Special ADR Rules further requires that the
petitioner plead in the petition the (i) addresses of the parties to arbitration,
(ii) the country where the arbitral award was made and whether such
country is a signatory to the New York Convention, and (iii) the relief
sought. The petitioner is likewise required to attach to the petition (i) an
authentic copy of the arbitration agreement; and (ii) an authentic copy of
the arbitral award. The petitioner may elect to submit the original arbitral
award and the original arbitration agreement, as provided in Section 42 of
Republic Act 9285 and Article 4.35 (c) of the Rules. If the arbitration
agreement and arbitral award are not in English, its official translation,

record, or by his deputy, and accompanied, if the record is not kept in the Philippines, with a
certificate that such officer has the custody. If the office in which the record is kept is in a
foreign country, the certificate may be made by a secretary of the embassy or legation,
consul general, consul, vice consul or consular agent or by any officer in the foreign service
of the Philippines stationed in the foreign country in which the record is kept, and
authenticated by the seal of his office. (Emphasis supplied)
Section 19 (a) of Rule 132 provides:
Sec. 19. Classes of documents For the purpose of their presentation in
evidence, documents are either public or private.
Public documents are:
(a) The written official acts or records of the official acts of the sovereign
authority, official bodies and tribunals, and public officers, whether of the
Philippines or of a foreign country;
(b) Documents acknowledged before notary public except last wills and
testament; and
(c) Public records, kept in the Philippines, of private documents required by law
to be entered therein.
All other writings are private.
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certified by an official or sworn translator or by a diplomatic or consular
agent, is required to be attached in the petition. Subsequent pleadings and
written submissions are required by Rule 1.4 to be supported by verified
statement that the affiant has read the same and that the factual
allegations therein are true and correct of his own personal knowledge or
based on authentic records. These may be filed and served on the other
party by electronic transmission upon agreement of the parties and with
the courts approval
15
.
C. Filing fee
In general, the practice has been that the filing fee in an action for
sum of money is based on the amount pleaded in the complaint. The same
rule has been observed in proceedings for recognition and enforcement of
foreign judgments and foreign arbitral awards. However, in 2005, the
Supreme Court was confronted with the issue on whether the action for the
recognition and enforcement of a foreign judgment is one incapable of
pecuniary estimation as to warrant the payment only of a minimal filing
fee. This was the case of Priscilla C. Mijares v. Hon. Santiago Javier
Ranada,
16
which involved an action filed by the victims of human rights
violations for the recognition and enforcement of a money judgment in the
amount of over Two and a Quarter Billion US Dollars (US$2.25 Billion)
rendered in their favor by the United States District Court (US District
Court), District of Hawaii against the Marcos estate.
In the petition before the trial court, the Marcos estate moved for
the dismissal of the case since petitioners paid only a minimal filing and
docket fee of Four Hundred Ten Pesos (P410.00). The lower court
dismissed the case on the proposition that the subject matter of the
complaint was indeed capable of pecuniary estimation, as it involved a
judgment rendered by a foreign court ordering the payment of definite
sums of money, allowing for easy determination of the value of the
foreign judgment. The lower court applied the schematic table in Section
7 (a) of Rule 141 of the Rules of Civil Procedure and estimated that
petitioners should have paid as filing fee Four Hundred Seventy-Two
Million Pesos (P472,000,000.00) based on the money judgment.

15
Rule 1.8 (c).
16
G.R. No. 139325, April 12, 2005.
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The Supreme Court ruled that the action for recognition and
enforcement of the foreign judgment is incapable of pecuniary estimation
since the subject matter of the action is the foreign judgment itself, and for
purposes of the computation of the filing fee, the foreign judgment falls
within the class of "all other actions not involving property. The
Supreme Court went on to state that if the rule were otherwise, foreign
judgments would be virtually unenforceable in the Philippines involving
as it does exorbitant filing fees. The Supreme Court ruled on this wise:
The preclusion of an action for enforcement of a
foreign judgment in this country merely due to an
exorbitant assessment of docket fees is alien to generally
accepted practices and principles in international law.
Indeed, there are grave concerns in conditioning the
amount of the filing fee on the pecuniary award or the
value of the property subject of the foreign decision. Such
pecuniary award will almost certainly be in foreign
denomination, computed in accordance with the applicable
laws and standards of the forum. The vagaries of inflation,
as well as the relative low-income capacity of the Filipino,
to date may very well translate into an award virtually
unenforceable in this country, despite its integral validity, if
the docket fees for the enforcement thereof were predicated
on the amount of the award sought to be enforced. The
theory adopted by respondent judge and the Marcos Estate
may even lead to absurdities, such as if applied to an award
involving real property situated in places such as the United
States or Scandinavia where real property values are
inexorably high. We cannot very well require that the filing
fee be computed based on the value of the foreign property
as determined by the standards of the country where it is
located.
Rule 20.2 of the Special ADR Rules followed the
ruling in Mijares insofar as it applies to the recognition and
enforcement of foreign arbitral awards under the New York
Convention. It provides that:
The minimal filing fee payable in all other actions
not involving property shall be paid by the petitioner
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seeking to enforce foreign arbitral awards under the New
York Convention in the Philippines.
The Supreme Court however did not apply the Mijares ruling in
petitions or counter-petitions to confirm or enforce, vacate or set aside an
arbitral award in domestic arbitration or in an international commercial
arbitration. The schedule of fees set out in Rule 20.1 of the Special ADR
Rules applies in such cases.
In respect of non-convention awards, one may argue for the
applicability of the Mijares ruling, as it is the foreign arbitral award itself
that is the subject matter of the action. Also, a non-convention award, just
like the final judgment rendered by the US District Court in Mijares, is
similarly treated by Article 4.36 (B)(a) of the Rules as a mere presumptive
evidence of a right against the parties.
D. Notices and summons
Under Rule 13.6 of the Special ADR Rules, upon receipt of the
petition, the court shall initially determine whether it is sufficient in form
and in substance. Once that has been made, the court shall cause the
service of a copy of the petition upon the respondent. The service upon the
respondent shall be made, under Rule 1.8 either by personal service or
courier. Resort to registered mail is allowed only when courier services are
not available.
The Special ADR Rules does away with the service of summons
upon the respondent. The technical rules of summons do not apply.
17
What
is essential is that the service of the copy of the petition and notice of
initial hearing was made in such a manner as to reasonably ensure receipt
thereof by the respondent to satisfy the requirement of due process.
18
Under Rules 13.6 and 13.7, the court sends a notice to the
respondent in the proceeding for the recognition and enforcement of
foreign arbitral award to file a verified opposition within thirty (30) days
from receipt of the notice and petition. This thirty (30) day period is non-
extendible since a motion for extension is a prohibited pleading under
Rule 1.6.

17
Rule 1.9.
18
Rule 1.9 (b).
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Under Rule 1.9, the court acquires authority to act on the petition
or motion upon proof of jurisdictional facts, i.e. that the respondent was
furnished with a copy of the petition and the notice of hearing. The
burden of proof lies with the petitioner.
19
The hearing referred to in Rule 1.9 is the initial hearing to prove
the jurisdictional facts. In the absence of proof of jurisdictional facts, the
proceedings may be held null and void. In The Government of the
Philippines v. Victoriano Aballe
20
the Supreme Court held the proceedings
null and void on account of the partys failure to prove the jurisdictional
facts of publication, posting and mailing of notices. The Court held that
person asserting fact of service has the burden of proof and that if sent by
registered mail, the registry return receipts and the affidavit must be
presented, viz:
When service of notice is an issue, the rule is that
the person alleging that the notice was served must prove
the fact of service. The burden of proving notice rests upon
the party asserting its existence. In civil cases, service made
through registered mail is proved by the registry receipt
issued by the mailing office and an affidavit of the person
mailing. Absent one or the other, or worse both, there is no
proof of service. In Petition for Habeas Corpus of
Benjamin Vergara v. Gedorio, Jr., the Court held that:
When service of notice is an issue, the rule is that
the person alleging that the notice was served must prove
the fact of service. The burden of proving notice rests upon
the party asserting its existence. In civil cases, service made
through registered mail is proved by the registry receipt
issued by the mailing office and an affidavit of the person
mailing of facts showing compliance with Section 7 of
Rule 13. In the present case, as proof that petitioners were
served with copies of the omnibus motion submitting an
inventory of the estate of deceased Allers, respondent
Bolao presented photocopies of the motion with a
certification by counsel that service was made by registered

19
Ibid.
20
G.R. No. 147212, March 24, 2006.
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mail, together with the registry receipts. While the affidavit
and the registry receipts proved that petitioners were served
with copies of the motion, it does not follow, however, that
petitioners in fact received the motion. Respondent Bolao
failed to present the registry return cards showing that
petitioners actually received the motion. Receipts for
registered letters and return receipts do not prove
themselves, they must be properly authenticated in order to
serve as proof of receipt of the letters. Respondent also
failed to present a certification of the postmaster that notice
was duly issued and delivered to petitioners such that
service by registered mail may be deemed completed.
Wee asserts that the registry return receipts are
attached to the records of this case. It must be stressed,
however, that the registry receipts alone are not sufficient
to prove that notice was made to the adjoining owners. The
law clearly states that it is the registry receipt issued by the
mailing office and the affidavit of the person mailing,
which proves service made through registered mail.
xxx xxx xxx
Substantial compliance with the jurisdictional
requirements laid down in Sections 12 and 13 of R.A. No.
26 is not enough; the trial courts acquisition of jurisdiction
over the reconstitution case is hinged on a strict
compliance with the requirements of the law. xxx
Where the authority to proceed is conferred by a
statute and the manner of obtaining jurisdiction is
mandatory, the same must be strictly complied with, or the
proceedings will be utterly void. As such, the court upon
which the petition for reconstitution of title is filed is duty-
bound to examine thoroughly the petition for reconstitution
of title and review the record and the legal provisions
laying down the germane jurisdictional requirements.
In view of Wees failure to adequately prove that
notices of hearing were sent to the adjoining owners of the
property subject of the reconstitution case, the RTC,
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therefore, did not acquire jurisdiction over the case, and
any proceedings held thereon are null and void. (Emphasis
supplied)
E. Proceedings after the initial hearing
The notice of initial hearing contains a directive for the respondent
to file an opposition to the petition for recognition and enforcement of the
foreign arbitral award.
Respondents failure to submit an opposition shall not be cause for
a declaration of default, as this is again, a prohibited pleading under Rule
1.6 (g). In addition, a party cannot delay proceedings on the ground that
any of the matters alleged in the petition is not alleged with sufficient
definiteness or particularity, as a motion for a bill of particulars is a
prohibited pleading under Rule 1.6 (b).
Once the respondent has filed its opposition, the court determines
whether the issue between the parties is one of law or fact.
Under Rule 13.8 of the Special ADR Rules, if the issue is mainly
one of law, the court will require the submission of a brief of legal
arguments not more than thirty (30) days from receipt of the order. Under
Rule 1.4, the legal brief is required to be verified by the lawyer submitting
it. The verification shall contain the statement that he personally prepared
the pleading/motion, that there is sufficient factual basis for the statements
of fact stated therein, that there is sufficient basis in the facts and the law
to support the prayer for relief stated therein, and that the pleading/motion
is filed in good faith and is not interposed for delay.
On the other hand, if there are issues of fact on grounds relied upon
for the court to refuse recognition and enforcement, the court, in
accordance with Rule 13.8, shall, motu proprio, or upon the request of a
party, require the parties to simultaneously submit the affidavits of their
respective witnesses within a period of not less than fifteen (15) days nor
more than thirty (30) days from receipt of the order. The filing of a reply
affidavit is not automatic as a request to do so must be made to the court.
If granted, the party has a period of not less than fifteen (15) days nor
more than thirty (30) days from receipt of the order granting said request.
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Under Rule 13.9 of the Special ADR Rules, if the court determines
that a hearing is called for, the affidavits of witnesses take the place of
their direct testimonies in court and they shall be immediately subject to
cross-examination.
A practical difficulty arises when a witness who resides outside the
Philippines, or is otherwise not available for cross-examination in the
Philippines executes the affidavit referred to in Rule 13.8. As the foreign
arbitral award was rendered in a foreign jurisdiction, it necessarily
involved foreign witnesses who, owing to practical difficulties and
financial constraints, may not be able to travel in the Philippines and
testify. In such a situation, a party may opt to avail of a deposition upon
oral examination in a foreign country under Rule 23 of the 1997 Revised
Rules of Procedure.
F. Interim or conservatory measures of protection
The interim measures of protection that a court may grant under
Rule 5 of the Special ADR Rules include a preliminary injunction,
preliminary attachment, appointment of a receiver, detention, preservation,
delivery or inspection of property or assistance in the enforcement of an
interim measure of protection granted by the arbitral tribunal which the
latter cannot enforce effectively.
The Special ADR Rules does not directly and specifically provide
that interim measures of protection are available in proceedings for the
recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards. Indeed, it is
arguable whether a party can invoke Rule 5 of the Special ADR Rules as it
restricts the period within which to file the petition for an interim measure
of protection before and in the course of arbitration proceedings.
Rule 13.10 of the Special ADR Rules, substantially reproduced in
Article 4.35 of the Rules, may however provide guidance. The court may,
upon the application of the petitioner, require the respondent to provide
suitable security during the pendency of the proceedings in one instance
only, i.e. when the court has decided to adjourn or defer rendering a
decision on the petition for recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral
award if, in the meantime, an application to set aside or suspend the
foreign arbitral award has been filed in the country where the foreign
arbitral award was rendered.
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G. Costs
The petitioner need not plead the costs at the time of the filing of
the petition for recognition and enforcement of the foreign arbitral award.
Rule 21.3 of the Special ADR Rules allows the petitioner to submit, at the
time the case is submitted to the court for decision, a statement under oath
confirming the costs incurred in the proceedings in the Philippines for the
recognition and enforcement of the foreign arbitral award. The costs
include the attorneys fees that a party has paid or is contractually
committed to pay to the counsel of record.
Grounds for enforcement and denial
Section 45 of Republic Act 9285 is quite emphatic. No other
grounds, other than those enumerated in Article V of the New York
Convention, shall be considered by the Regional Trial Court in
determining whether the foreign arbitral award shall be recognized and
enforced in the Philippines.
21
The Regional Trial Court is required to
disregard any other ground other than those enumerated in Article V of the
New York Convention.
22
Article V of the New York Convention was grafted into Rule 13.4
of the Special ADR Rules. Under Rule 13.4 (a), the Regional Trial Court
shall refuse recognition and enforcement of the foreign arbitral award only
if the party making the application to refuse its recognition and
enforcement provides proof that:
- A party to the arbitration agreement was under some incapacity;
or the said agreement is not valid under the law to which the
parties have subjected it or, failing any indication thereof, under
the law of the country where the award was made; or
- The party making the application was not given proper notice of
the appointment of an arbitrator or of the arbitral proceedings or
was otherwise unable to present his case; or
- The award deals with a dispute not contemplated by or not
falling within the terms of the submission to arbitration, or

21
Article 4.36, Department Circular No. 98.
22
Rule 13.4, Special ADR Rules.
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contains decisions on matters beyond the scope of the submission
to arbitration; provided that, if the decision on matters submitted
to arbitration can be separated from those matters not so
submitted, only that part of the award which contains on matters
not submitted to arbitration may be set aside; or
- The composition of the arbitral award or the arbitral procedure
was not in accordance with the agreement of the parties; or
failing such agreement, was not in accordance with the law of the
country where arbitration took place; or
- The award has not yet become binding on the parties or has been
set aside or suspended by a court of the country in which that
award was made.
Rule 13.4 (b) further provides that the foreign arbitral award may
be refused recognition and enforcement by the court if it finds that:
- The subject-matter of the dispute is not capable of settlement or
resolution by arbitration in the Philippines; or
- The recognition or enforcement of the award would be contrary
to public policy.
Section 6 of Republic Act 9285 sets out the disputes that cannot be
the subject of arbitration. These include: (a) labor disputes covered by the
Labor Code of the Philippines; (b) the civil status of persons; (c) the
validity of a marriage; (d) any ground for legal separation; (e) the
jurisdiction of courts; (f) future legitime; (g) criminal liability; and (h)
those which by law cannot be compromised.
Rule 13.11 of the Special ADR Rules went a step further. When
faced with a petition for recognition and enforcement of a foreign arbitral
award, the Regional Trial Courts role is pretty much straightforward,
either to (a) recognize and/or enforce or (b) refuse to recognize and
enforce the foreign arbitral award. In other words, the Regional Trial
Court is not allowed to substitute its own judgment for that of the foreign
arbitral tribunal. This is clear from Rule 19.11 which provides:
The court can deny recognition and enforcement of
a foreign arbitral award but shall have no power to vacate
or set aside a foreign arbitral award. (Emphasis supplied)
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The court is not tasked to determine whether the foreign arbitral
award is valid or not. The foreign arbitral award remains VALID whether
or not the Regional Trial Court denies or refuses its recognition and
enforcement in this jurisdiction. This is because the primary authority to
declare that the foreign arbitral award is invalid is vested in the court of
the State in which the arbitral award is rendered. Thus, the courts inquiry
is limited to the determination of the existence of those grounds set out in
Rule 13.4 which is subject to a caveat: The court shall not disturb the
arbitral tribunals determination of facts and/or interpretation of the law.
(Rule 13.11 of the Special Rules of Court).
The Regional Trial Court shall not allow any subterfuge by the
party making the application to refuse recognition and enforcement of the
foreign arbitral award for the Court to try, re-litigate, and delve into the
facts giving rise to the arbitral dispute between the parties ostensibly
because it falls into any of the grounds under Article V of the New York
Convention and Rule 13.4 of the Special ADR Rules. The Regional Trial
Court is prohibited from re-interpreting and determining anew the legal
issues that the foreign arbitral tribunal already dealt with, which may
involve the application and interpretation of a foreign law. The limitation
on judicial review of a foreign arbitral award is in consonance with the
policy to limit repetitive litigation on claims and issues. Otherwise, the
court will be faced with never-ending litigation of the same disputes.
Indeed, if every foreign arbitral award were reviewable on the merits, the
claimant would be constrained to defend his/her original cause of action
all over again, and thus render as superfluous the previously concluded
litigation. The court should thus be wary of the strategy adopted by
adverse parties in ostensibly invoking the grounds set out in Rule 13.11
but which would otherwise involve disturbing the arbitral tribunals
determination of facts and interpretation of law.
Consistent with the trial courts lack of authority to set aside a
foreign arbitral award, Rule 13.10 of the Special ADR Rules recognizes
the jurisdiction of the competent authority in the foreign country in which
the foreign arbitral was rendered to set aside the said foreign arbitral
award. It is provided that:
The court before which a petition to recognize and
enforce a foreign arbitral award is pending, may adjourn or
defer rendering a decision thereon, if, in the meantime, an
application for the setting aside or suspension of the award
Arellano Law and Policy Review Vol. 11 No. 1
34
has been made with a competent authority in the country
where the award was made. xxx. (Emphasis supplied)
In resolving the petition, the Regional Trial Court shall limit itself
to the determination of whether any of the grounds under Article V of the
New York Convention and Rule 13.4 of the Special ADR Rules exist as to
warrant the denial of the petition for the recognition and enforcement of
the foreign arbitral award. The Regional Trial Court is mandated to
recognize and enforce a foreign arbitral award unless a ground to refuse
recognition or enforcement of the foreign arbitral award under this rule is
fully established. The duty to establish any of those grounds falls on the
party opposing the recognition and enforcement of the foreign arbitral
award. In other words, the burden of proof is not on the party applying for
recognition and enforcement of the foreign arbitral award. Rule 13.11 is
emphatic:
It is presumed that a foreign arbitral award was
made and released in due course of arbitration and is
subject to enforcement by the court.
In respect of non-convention awards rendered by a country that
does not extend comity and reciprocity to awards rendered in the
Philippines, Rule 13.12 of the Special ADR Rules provides that the
Regional Trial Court may treat such award as a foreign judgment under
Section 48, Rule 39 of the Rules of Court.
Judicial review by the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court
A party may file a motion for reconsideration of a Regional Trial
Courts decision recognizing and/or enforcing a foreign arbitral award, or
refusing recognition and/or enforcement of the same.
23
The fifteen (15)
day period to file the motion is non-extendible and commences to run
from receipt of the decision.
Consistent with the policy to expedite the resolution of petitions
for recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral award, a party is
prohibited under Rule 19.6 of the Special ADR Rules from filing a second
motion for reconsideration. A Regional Trial Courts decision is not an
interlocutory order as to warrant the filing of a second motion for

23
Rule 19.1, Special ADR Rules.
June 2012 Recognition and Enforcement of a Foreign Arbitral Award
35
reconsideration, which is a fairly common dilatory tactic in the litigation
of civil actions. A party is likewise not allowed to file motions for new
trial or reopening of trial or even a petition for relief from judgment.
24
The Regional Trial Court is mandated to resolve the motion for
reconsideration within thirty (30) days from receipt of the opposition or
comment or upon the expiration of the period to file the opposition or
comment. Although Rule 19.4 does not mention the filing of a reply, a
party may be allowed by the court to do as it is not considered a prohibited
pleading under Rule 1.6 of the Special ADR Rules. However, a rejoinder
to the reply is a prohibited pleading under Rule 1.6 (f).
An order denying a partys motion for reconsideration is
appealable to the Court of Appeals. The mode of appeal is by way of a
petition for review to be filed within fifteen (15) days from notice of the
decision of the Regional Trial Court or the denial of the petitioners
motion for reconsideration. Docket fees and costs in the amount of
Php4,000.00 shall be paid at the time of the filing of the petition for
review.
Rule 19.16 requires the petition for review to contain (a) a
statement of the full names of the parties to the case, without impleading
the court or agencies either as petitioner or respondent; (b) a concise
statement of the facts and issues involved and the grounds relied upon for
review; (c) clearly legible duplicate original or certified true copy of the
decision or resolution of the Regional Trial Court appealed from, together
with true copies of such material portions of the record and supporting
documents; (d) a sworn Certification Against Forum Shopping; and (e)
material dates showing that it was filed within the allowable period.
A feature that makes the commencement of a petition for
recognition and enforcement of a foreign arbitral award in the Philippines
particularly appealing is the requirement of the posting of a bond during
the pendency of the appeal. Section 46 of Republic Act 9285 requires the
losing party to post a counter-bond during the pendency of the appeal on
the decision of the Regional Trial Court confirming the foreign arbitral
award. To reinforce the substantive law, under Rule 19.25 of the Special
ADR Rules, the Court of Appeals shall, within fifteen (15) days from
receipt of the petition for review, require the party appealing the Regional

24
Rule 1.6 of the Special ADR Rules.
Arellano Law and Policy Review Vol. 11 No. 1
36
Trial Courts decision to post a bond executed in favor of the prevailing
party equal to the amount of the award. The failure of the petitioner to post
a bond is ground for the dismissal of the appeal.
25
Is a special civil action for certiorari available to dispute a decision
of the Regional Trial Court either recognizing and enforcing a foreign
arbitral award, or denying the enforcement of the same? Rule 19.26 (j) of
the Special ADR Rules provides for only one instance wherein a party can
do so, i.e. a Regional Trial Courts decision allowing a party to enforce a
foreign arbitral award pending appeal. However, a party is not allowed to
lodge an appeal and at the same time resort to a petition for certiorari.
Under Rule 19.9. recourse to one remedy shall preclude recourse to the
other.
Instead of the customary sixty (60) day period under Rule 65 of the
1997 Rules of Civil Procedure, the petitioner shall file the verified petition
for certiorari within a non-extendible period of fifteen (15) days from
notice of the Regional Trial Courts decision. No extension of time to file
the petition is allowed.
In case resort to a petition for certiorari with the Court of Appeals
is availed of, the petitioner shall not include the arbitral tribunal even as a
nominal party in the proceedings. The petitioner is required only by Rule
19.29 of the Special ADR Rules to notify the arbitral tribunal of the
proceedings and furnish it with court processes.
A Court of Appeals decision may be taken to the Supreme Court
by way of a verified petition for review within fifteen (15) days from
notice of the decision or judgment or denial of the motion for
reconsideration. Rule 19.36 of the Special ADR Rules provides the
parameters for the Supreme Courts review of the Court of Appeals
decision. The grounds enumerated in Rule 19.36 indicate the restrictive
nature of the grounds that will warrant the Supreme Courts discretionary
powers. These are when the Court of Appeals:
a. Failed to apply the applicable standard or test for
judicial review prescribed in these Special ADR Rules

25
Rule 19.25 of the Special ADR Rules.
June 2012 Recognition and Enforcement of a Foreign Arbitral Award
37
in arriving at its decision resulting in substantial
prejudice to the aggrieved party;
b. Erred in upholding a final order or decision despite the
lack of jurisdiction of the court that rendered such final
order or decision;
c. Failed to apply any provision, principle, policy or rule
contained in these Special ADR Rules resulting in
substantial prejudice to the aggrieved party; and
d. Committed an error so egregious and harmful to a party
as to amount to an undeniable excess of jurisdiction.
A general averment in the petition for review that the Court of
Appeals has committed serious and substantial error or that it has acted
with grave abuse of discretion resulting in substantial prejudice to the
petitioner without indicating with specificity the nature of such error or
abuse of discretion and the serious prejudice suffered by the petitioner on
account thereof, shall constitute sufficient ground for the Supreme Court
to dismiss outright the petition
26
.
Executory nature of the Regional Trial Courts Decision
Another feature that makes the proceeding for the recognition and
enforcement of the foreign arbitral award in the Philippines particularly
attractive is that the decision of the Regional Trial Court is immediately
executory (Rule 13.11 of the Special ADR Rules). It ensures that the
foreign arbitral award is not defeated or rendered illusory during the
pendency of the appeal, especially when the losing party has taken
measures to frustrate the enforcement of the foreign arbitral award. To
reinforce this policy, Rule 19.22 of the Special ADR Rules categorically
states that:
The appeal shall not stay the award, judgment,
final order or resolution sought to be reviewed unless the
Court of Appeals directs otherwise upon such terms as it
may deem just.

26
Rule 19.36 of the Special ADR Rules.
Arellano Law and Policy Review Vol. 11 No. 1
38
Conclusion
The recognition and enforcement of a foreign arbitral award in the
Philippines is particularly attractive as long as it is strictly observed and
creative dilatory tactics by the respondent and its counsel are promptly
struck down. The nature of the proceedings, the minimal filing fees, the,
the prohibition against the filing of a motion to dismiss and other dilatory
motions, the ease in the filing and service of pleadings, the execution of
the Regional Trial Courts decision recognizing and enforcing the foreign
arbitral award pending appeal, the prohibition on a re-trial of the facts and
law which had already been determined and passed upon in the arbitration
proceedings, and the requirement of the posting of a counter-bond on
appeal ensure the speedy and efficient resolution of the issues submitted to
the Regional Trial Court.
The recognition and enforcement of a foreign arbitral award is
however still faced with myriad challenges. While the ADR Rules
practically enjoin the Regional Trial Court from setting aside or vacating
the foreign arbitral award, the absence of a clear prohibition against the
filing of a petition to set aside a foreign arbitral award will allow adverse
parties to creatively stymie the recognition and enforcement of such
award. The adverse party is not prevented from filing such a petition to
set aside the foreign arbitral award as a preemptive and cunning maneuver
to pre-empt the filing of a petition for recognition and enforcement of the
foreign arbitral award and thus frustrate the said proceedings in the long
run.
Confusion may also result in respect of the applicability of the
Special ADR Rules to a proceeding for the recognition and enforcement of
a foreign arbitral award which was filed before and was still pending when
the Special Rules took effect. While Rule 24.1 of the Special ADR Rules
states that it shall apply to all pending arbitration, mediation or other
ADR forms covered by the ADR Act, it nonetheless provides a caveat ---
that it shall not prejudice or impair vested rights in accordance with law.
Also, while a trial courts decision recognizing and enforcing a
foreign arbitral award is immediately executory, its execution may be
hampered when an application is lodged with the Court of Appeals by the
losing party to avoid its execution pending appeal. Under Rule 19.22, the
Court of Appeals may otherwise direct the stay of the foreign arbitral
award.
June 2012 Recognition and Enforcement of a Foreign Arbitral Award
39
Indeed, in theory, the recognition and enforcement of a foreign
arbitral award in this jurisdiction appears to be relatively simple, but in
practice, the proceedings may still be hampered not only by ingenious
legal issues raised by the adverse party but also by the Regional Trial
Courts and the parties lack of familiarity with R.A. 9285, the Rules, and
the Special ADR Rules.
It thus remains to be seen whether the challenges facing litigants in
a proceeding for the recognition and enforcement of a foreign arbitral
award in the Philippines will eventually be overcome.

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